Gastric Bypass - I dont understand

Missjulesdid

Hey, good luck with WLS I say, but don't be like my coworker who checks in (on Foursquare) from McDonald's every day. You can totally have an iced coffee and a milkshake when you've had surgery. Fits in that little tummy nicely. Doesn't let you lose weight though.

That's why some people judge. It does work sometimes, but it doesn't seem to work any more consistently than dieting without major surgery. The success rate is ... poor. If you feel you have to, that's your choice, but I would not want to be cut into if I didn't have to be.

Your information is incorrect. WLS has a far better success rate than diet and exercise alone. The failure rate for WLS is something like 50% which sounds HUGE until you consider that the failure rate for the morbidly obese who try diet/exercise is 99%

fredsfriend

the milkshake may fit but for most the enjoyment will be VERY short lived

Gastric dumping syndrome, or rapid gastric emptying is a condition where ingested foods bypass the stomach too rapidly and enter the small intestine largely undigested. It happens when the small intestine expands too quickly due to the presence of hyperosmolar (having increased osmolarity) food from the stomach. "Early" dumping begins concurrently with or immediately succeeding ingestion of a meal. Symptoms of early dumping include nausea, vomiting, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, dizziness, and fatigue. "Late" dumping happens one to three hours after eating. Symptoms of late dumping include weakness, sweating, and dizziness. Many people have both types. The syndrome is most often associated with gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y) surgery.

Rapid loading of the small intestine with hypertonic stomach contents can lead to rapid entry of water into the intestinal lumen. Osmotic diarrhea, distension of the small bowel (leading to crampy abdominal pain), and hypovolemia can result.

In addition, people with this syndrome often suffer from low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, because the rapid "dumping" of food triggers the pancreas to release excessive amounts of insulin into the bloodstream. This type of hypoglycemia is referred to as "alimentary hypoglycemia."

Ashshell

My best friend had gastric bypass surgery. She has kept the weight off and I believe that she always will because her life is so much different now and I know that is important to her. But...she definitely could've lost the weight on her own, without having surgery. She doesn't deny that. I feel that gastric bypass surgery is viewed as a quick fix for most people. I know it was viewed that way for my best friend. It would've taken her a very long time to lose 200+ pounds, but with GB it was gone very quickly. Sure, the first little while after surgery is a bit rough, but after that it really isn't that difficult (from what I've seen). If you eat too much, you're in pain and/or you get sick. If you eat too much without gastric bypass there typically aren't uncomfortable consequences aside from gaining weight and feeling guilty. If I knew I was going to be in severe pain every time I splurged, I doubt I'd do it at all. Now, she can eat like a normal person and maintains her weight. No one would ever know she had surgery unless she told them. I don't have an issue with GB, but I do think MOST people can lose weight without it if they are willing to be patient and put in hard work.

BluejayNY

These surgeries just sound horrendous to me. I mean you are forced not to eat normally forever. I would much rather eat right and be active 98% of the time and enjoy that 2% then have that surgery any day. I really think it would have to a life or death situation to consider that kind of surgery. It would greatly reduce my quality of life.

SanteMulberry

the milkshake may fit but for most the enjoyment will be VERY short lived

Gastric dumping syndrome, or rapid gastric emptying is a condition where ingested foods bypass the stomach too rapidly and enter the small intestine largely undigested. It happens when the small intestine expands too quickly due to the presence of hyperosmolar (having increased osmolarity) food from the stomach. "Early" dumping begins concurrently with or immediately succeeding ingestion of a meal. Symptoms of early dumping include nausea, vomiting, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, dizziness, and fatigue. "Late" dumping happens one to three hours after eating. Symptoms of late dumping include weakness, sweating, and dizziness. Many people have both types. The syndrome is most often associated with gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y) surgery.

Rapid loading of the small intestine with hypertonic stomach contents can lead to rapid entry of water into the intestinal lumen. Osmotic diarrhea, distension of the small bowel (leading to crampy abdominal pain), and hypovolemia can result.

In addition, people with this syndrome often suffer from low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, because the rapid "dumping" of food triggers the pancreas to release excessive amounts of insulin into the bloodstream. This type of hypoglycemia is referred to as "alimentary hypoglycemia."

Gee---THAT sounds like a lot of fun. :ohwell:

jwhitch

I had gastric bypass 25 years ago. It is not "an easy fix" and I am not lazy. There were many contributing factors to my decision to having the surgery and I have never regretted it. Yes, some people do regain the weight but many others keep it off. It's like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it.

lisahenderson9803

Your information is incorrect. WLS has a far better success rate than diet and exercise alone. The failure rate for WLS is something like 50% which sounds HUGE until you consider that the failure rate for the morbidly obese who try diet/exercise is 99%
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Wow glad that this is a motivation and support topic or else right now i'd be wondering why I am even bothering trying to lose weight if I have only a 1% chance of success.
If WLS has worked for you then congratulations I am really pleased for you, but for some of us it will never be an option.

SanteMulberry

...
This is the same man that quit smoking cold turkey - the will power is there. I dont get it.

As a slight aside, as an ex-smoker and currently morbidly obese (but at last doing something about it) I get it. On a very simple level to stop smoking you just don't pick up a cigarette and smoke it. The same isn't true for food, you can't just stop eating and so the temptation is always there to eat too much or the wrong thing. Plus for many people like me food is intrinsically linked with emotions be them good or bad - who's Mum used to cook their favourite meal for their birthday? Who when felling down reaches for chocolate? Who has 'comfort' food for when they aren't feeling well or its cold outside? This is much more so than with smoking because it goes right back to childhood. So I understand why someone can stop smoking but can't beat a food addiction.

Personally (and its just how I feel for me) I'd never consider surgery to 'fix' my weight problem as I know for me I have had to sort out my head with regard to my emotional view to food. Now I think I have, losing the weight through diet and exercise feels like the way to do it. In part to truly learn what I can eat and how much I can eat and in part to prove to myself I can lose and keep of the weight.

And this is exactly the reason why the food addicted/morbidly obese person must cut out sugar and wheat to begin the process of getting control of body fat. Both of those substances contribute a LOT toward food addiction and sending blood sugar/insulin surging. When you don't eat them, it is fairly easy to keep daily carbohydrates to 70-100 grams--the "sweet spot" for loss of body fat. When I lose all the body fat that I want to, I will increase my carbs to 120-150 grams per day, but I will never again eat sugar and wheat as more than just an occasional indulgence. Going wheatless and sugar-free, it is easy to maintain and lose weight gradually. Not that I don't watch the calories and exercise--I do. I lift weights as well. But if I was still eating sugar and wheat, I am convinced that I would be working against all my hard work.

CathyFinch

My dad had gastric bypass a few years ago. He was able to lose about 20 pounds before surgery, but it was to get from one of his maximum weights to his new low weight. My dad would swing from 380lbs to 420 pounds; and could not get past 380 for the life of him.

My father also had several co-morbidities at the time of his surgery - diabetes, sleep apnea, blood pressure, cholesterol, and a few other problems. He had previously been able to lose weight but seemed to not be able to any longer after a series of abdominal surgeries.

It's difficult for those who don't understand to 'get it' but there are really a lot of situations where traditional dieting no longer works for a person. A good gastric bypass surgeon will do a lot of psych and nutritional counseling before surgery, to help those people change their mindsets about food.

gbolhuis

I am 13 years out from surgery and I do have dumping whenever I eat poorly. It's one of the reasons that the weight loss is still working for me. It's simply not worth it to eat junk and get sick!